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Friday, March 31, 2017

The need to create an alternative world

“There
are many reasons why novelists write, but they all have one thing in common - a
need to create an alternative world.” – John Fowles

When I give talks on writing and the
process writers follow, I often quote British author John Fowles, who was born
on this date in 1926 and wrote as many thoughtful and thought-provoking things
about writing as anyone I’ve read.And
writing wasn’t even his first career choice.Fowles set out to be a literary teacher, taking a job at a small school
in Greece that later became the setting for his book The Magus.Even though he
had that novel ready to go in 1960, he held off after coming up with the idea
for The Collector, his ultimate first
novel that would establish his reputation.

Published in 1963, The Collector went on to a massive
paperback release, noted by the publisher as "probably the highest price
that had hitherto been paid for a first novel.”By 1965 it also had been made into a nailbiting movie(if you’ve never seen it, find it, and settle
back to be thoroughly entertained).

His next
major work, published after he released The Magus (a moderate hit),was 1969’s
international blockbuster The French Lieutenant's Woman.Released to critical and popular success, it
was eventually translated into a dozen languages, adapted as a feature film
starring Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons, and cemented Fowles' international
literary reputation.

While fiction was his forte’, Fowles
also was a noted essayist, taught English as a foreign language to immigrant
children, and earned minor acclaim as a poet – something he said should not be
considered unusual.“We all write
poems,” he noted.“It is simply that real
poets are the ones who write in words.”

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About Me

In addition to years of writing of news, sports, and feature stories, both as a journalist and in public relations, I've authored seven books (and counting :), a one-act play, and three songs. I also contributed to two published anthologies.

My newest book, the historical novel And The Wind Whispered, has earned top reviews around the nation and a Silver Award in the Historical Fiction category at the 2016 Colorado Book Awards. Check it out on Amazon or Goodreads. It also is available ion both print and e-book formats through all major book outlets.

I enjoy public speaking on the topics of “Telling
an Effective Story,” “Effective Communication,” and “Storytelling – From
Journalism to Creative Writing" and have been an invited speaker at recent Historical Novel Society and Historical Writers of America national conferences. You can access an interview with me on YouTube at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3qNiwWshAM

I retired from Augsburg College (and my wife from St. Olaf College) in 2013 when we moved to Colorado, where I've been working on my books, writing for Broadlands Living magazine, and doing freelance marketing and p.r.